SLOW MOTION

Supertramp should have already called it quit after their good "Brother Where You Bound" in 1985. By doing so, they would have ended on a positive note. But, alas they kept going on and produced one weak album ("Some Things Never Change") and their two poorest ones : "Free As A Bird" and "Slow Motion".

The title track can make illusion. Catchy melody, good piano : a song like they have produced a lot during their wonderful journey. It is the highlight of this work. There won't be any other one.

What comes next are, at best, some easy listening music like "Little by Little" : a little funky tune but not too bad compared to what comes next.

"Broken Hearted" seems to come from the Jerry Lee Lewis repertoire. An attempt to good old rock'n' roll (even revival). One could cope with this while going out at a local party where you have an unknown band on stage playing some live music. By no means I expect this from 'Tramp.

"Over You" is rather horrifying : a transparent jazzy ballad. It's OK when you're dining in a chic hotel with a "lobby band" playing such stuff. Again not Supertramp.

"Tenth Avenue Breakdown" is a jazzy track with more flavour. But its lenght (almost nine minutes) makes it rather dull and repetitive after one third of it.

Two poor bluesy songs to follow : " A Sting in the Tail" and "Bee in Your Bonnet" : I can't tell which one is worse. Let's call it a draw !

"Goldrush" although released on this album has been in the Supertramp repertoire since the very early seventies and was used as a live opener before School. It is the second average number of this album.

Dreadful long and bluesy/jazzy track as closing number. Not a turnpoint in the music history I must say.

As I initially wrote : this is definitely another album too much for the 'Tramp. One little star.